Inside the Phillies with MLB.com beat writer Todd Zolecki

Blanton Pitching Solidly Since Break

We know how dominant Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels have been this season.

Halladay is second out of 50 qualifying pitchers in the National League with a 2.22 ERA. Oswalt is 13th with a 3.12 ERA and Hamels is 19th with a 3.47 ERA. They are a scary trio should the Phillies make the playoffs. But what must be encouraging to Charlie Manuel is the way Joe Blanton has pitched lately. He is 3-1 with a 3.41 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star break. If Halladay, Oswalt, Hamels and Blanton keep pitching like they have down the stretch, they should have a chance to win a good chuck of their remaining games — if the offense ever gets on track.

Blanton had a 6.41 ERA in 13 starts before the break. He followed a similar path last season. He had a 7.11 ERA after eight starts in 2009, but had a 3.16 ERA in 23 starts the rest of the way.

I’m sure that’s not how Blanton drew it up, but that is the way it has gone so far.

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9 Comments

Nice to see choke Lidge get a save. Are you guys shocked? It’s really great to see your starters doing so well. Now if you could just get a few hits. I thought this was a powerhouse lineup. Wha happened????

pherris: First, it’s “I hope you’re right…” not your right. We learned that in elementary school – or at least some of us did.

Secondly, Victorino’s career BA numbers are about the same on the first pitch as it is on a 1-0, 2-0, 2-1 or 0-1 count. In those circumstances, he’s in the .320 to .350 range – three percentage points. God forbid, he can even take a strike. So it really doesn’t matter which pitch you swing at, as long as it is a strike. That’s more important than being artificially aggressive. Just swing at strikes.

Who said anything about not swinging at strikes, muleman? I thought this discussion is about Phillies such as Utley and Werth taking too many strikes. If you are going to cite Victorino’s stats how about using all of them like hitting .230 at a 2-2 count, ; .201 at 1-2 count; and, .195 at 0-2 count. Did you notice Utley today taking three strikes in a three pitch at bat? At least during a later at bat he drove the first pitch to the outfield. Sure an out is an out but nothing is going to happen if he doesn’t lift his bat off his shoulder. If Utley works the count full he almost has about a 40% chance of getting on base via a hit or a walk but after a 0-2 count he hits .221 for his career and after a 1-2 count he hits .225.

Thank you for beating up on the Padres,we are now within 1 game of homefield advantage for the entire playoffs. We needed for you to beat them as they had been winning a lot lately. You may now return to your position as a possible wild card candidate.

Thank you for beating up on the Padres,we are now within 1 game of homefield advantage for the entire playoffs. We needed for you to beat them as they had been winning a lot lately. You may now return to your position as a possible wild card candidate.

Pitching wins. With Blanton joining the top three starters on the best rotation in MLB, September should be a lot a of fun. Lidge has even joined in with an August as good as any relief pitcher in baseball.
Once they get past Kendrick’s next three starts they won’t need him anymore because of off days.

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